Decorative attachment for a bra

ABSTRACT

A bra arrangement includes a bra having a cup area and a backstrap. The bra further has connection elements on the back strap. A decorative attachment has connection points, configured to attached to corresponding connection elements on the backstrap of said bra.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/688,367 filed on Aug. 28, 2017, which in turn claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/380,157, filed on Aug. 26, 2016, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application also claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 62/551,027, and 65/551,029, both filed on Aug. 28, 2017, both of which are incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a bra and bra accessories. More particularly, this invention relates to a bra and bra accessories for wearing with backless or open back tops and dresses.

Description of Related Art

Many current fashion designs for dresses and tops have a “backless” appearance or a draped opening back where the bra strap would be visible, especially for long gowns and open back dresses. In addition, many tops have been designed with backless openings or are otherwise made from very sheer fabric that would expose the bra strap.

The current known backless bras on the market that attempt to solve this problem are not adequate for women with larger breasts or women that require additional lift. These products can leave women looking uneven or hanging too low on top. Such prior art backless bras can also become unglued and fall off when you perspire or even make women look lopsided if only half comes unglued.

Other attempted prior art solutions for providing breast support to women wearing backless dresses include designs having two additional straps that attach to the back of the bra to pull it down and tie in the front around your waist. Such designs can be incredibly uncomfortable and could detract from the proper fit of a fitted dress. Additionally, most women having large breasts or older women prefer a fuller support or “real support” bra with underwire and straps that enables them to wear the current backless or open back fashions.

Objects and Summary

The present arrangement provides for a bra, to be used in conjunction with backless or open back tops or dresses, that includes changeable “jewelry like” pieces or any type of decorative items to cover the unsightly bra hooks/back strap. This arrangement enables the woman to not only wear a fully supportive bra with a backless dress or top, but also to cover the primary back strap with a decorative attachment. Moreover, given the present design, the decorative attachment can be changed using the same primary bra structure, allowing the woman to wear different decorative looks each time the bra is worn by alternating the attachments.

In one arrangement, a one-piece bra is provided, having an optional underwire, a silky opaque material in decorative colors such as gold, silver, black, etc. The bra has a front closure and comes with a detachable decorative silk piece, in the same material as the rest of the bra, that is removably attached via snaps, a zipper, a hook and loop connection, or latches. This enables the user to removably attach different decorative pieces to the bra. The present bra arrangement can be constructed in a strapless form with plastic detachable straps or simply with silky regular straps. Such an arrangement can be used with sheer tops and dresses. It is understood that the present bra can also be made in the regular cotton fabrics for the use of the back jewelry look and not for the sheer fashions, if desired.

In another embodiment, a one-piece strapless bra is provided, having and underwire and dimensioned in a variety of cup sizes. Attached to the side of the bra are snaps strategically placed to hold the decorative pieces securely. In one arrangement, as most bras have 3 different hook positions to attach, the snaps will be placed so that the decorative pieces with be able to stretch to accommodate each bra position.

In some arrangements, the measurement from the tightest hooks to the loosest hooks on the bra strap is usually about 1½ inches. In this case, two snap options are provided on either side of the bra cups to attach to. The bra may be accompanied by a first decorative silky solid piece to match the color of the bra, with additional pieces available with a variety of ornamentation. Optionally, this bra could be strapless, have detachable straps or it could have regular straps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a bra with a front closure, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a bra with a front closure and detachable straps, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a back view of the bra of FIG. 1, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a back view of the bra of FIG. 1 with a series of snaps for attaching a decorative attachment on the back of the bra, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a back view of the bra of FIG. 1 with a series of hooks for attaching a decorative attachment on the back of the bra, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a back view of the bra of FIG. 1 with a zipper for attaching a decorative attachment on the back of the bra, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 6B is a back view of the bra of FIG. 1 with a hook and loop attachment element for attaching a decorative element on the back of the bra, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 6C is a front view of strapless bra with a hook and loop attachment element for attaching a decorative element on the back of the bra, in accordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 6D is a back view of the bra of FIG. 6C with a hook and loop attachment element for attaching a decorative element on the back of the bra, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 6E is a back view of the bra of FIG. 1 with a hook and loop attachment element on a supplemental attachment accessory for attaching a decorative element on the back of the bra, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 7A-7C each show a decorative attachment for attachment to the back of the bra of FIG. 1 or 6C/6D, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 7D-7E show the decorative attachments attached the attachment elements on the back of a bra of FIG. 6C/6D, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a bra with a back closure, in accordance with another embodiment;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are back views of the bra of FIG. 8 with a decorative attachment across the back, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 10A-10C each show a decorative attachment for attachment to the back of the bra of FIG. 8, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 11A-11C show a decorative area of one material attached to the decorative attachment of a second material, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 12A and 12B show a cover for a wrist with attachment elements for supporting a decorative attachment, in accordance with another embodiment;

FIGS. 12C-12G show the wrist cover of FIGS. 12A-12B with the decorative element placed thereon, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 12H shows the back of decorative element shown in FIGS. 12C-12G;

FIGS. 13A and 13B show a cover for a cast/boot with attachment elements for supporting a decorative attachment, in accordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 13C show the cast/boot cover of FIGS. 13A-13B with the decorative element placed thereon, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 13D-13F show a cover for a cast/boot with attachment elements for supporting a decorative attachment, in accordance with another embodiment; and

FIG. 13G—show the cast/boot cover of FIGS. 13D-13F with the decorative element placed thereon, in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In one embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, a bra 10 has a cup portion 12, straps 14 and a back strap 16. In this arrangement shown in FIG. 1, a clasp 20 is in the front between the cup portions 12. FIG. 2 shows an option with removable straps 14. FIG. 3 shows the back of bra 10 with no attachment elements. This bra 10 may be constructed of any normal materials and fabrics ordinarily used for bras, including the use of clear plastic for straps 14.

In one embodiment show in FIGS. 4-6, bra 10 additionally has attachment elements across back strap 16. In FIG. 4, the attachment elements are snaps 22. In FIG. 5, the attachment elements are hooks 24. In FIG. 6, the attachment element is a zipper 26. In FIG. 6B attachment elements 28 is a hook and loop fabric (either the hook portion or loop portion).

FIGS. 6C and 6D are front and back views of a side of a strapless version of bra 10 where the attachment elements 28 are hook and loop segments (two segments, one segment on either side of cups 12). Here clasps 20 would be in the middle of back strap 16 and attachment element 28 (or 22, or 24, or 26) would be arranged on either side of the two halves of strap 16 and supported on, for example, a stretch mesh 33. Here decorative element 30 is shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D, but it is understood that such decorative elements 30 as described below, span across both segments of the underlying attachment elements 28 as shown below in FIGS. 7D and 7E so the appearance is the same as using bra 10 of FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and/or 6B.

In FIG. 6E on bra 10 (using the example of the type of strapped bras 10 from FIGS. 4-6B, but equally applicable to strapless type bras 10 from FIGS. 6C and 6D) attachment elements 28 are a hook and loop fabric that is not directly part of backstrap 16 but rather is attached to backstrap 16 by a supplemental attachment sleeve 31 that fits over back strap 16. Such an arrangement allows aftermarket application of attachment element 28 (e.g. hook and loop) to otherwise ordinary bras that do not have built in attachment elements.

It is understood that these attachment elements are intended to be exemplary and non-limiting.

In FIGS. 7A-7C, a decorative attachment 30 is shaped and dimensioned to be attached to the attachment elements shown in FIGS. 4-6. FIGS. 7D and 7E show decorative attachment 30 coupled to bra 10 using attachment elements 28 as explained above. As illustrated, decorative attachment 30 can have many different forms, using different fabrics, different colors, different textures and different designs. The full breadth of possible designs for decorative attachment 30 is essentially unlimited. These decorative attachments 30 for example can come in different colors and styles, such as hanging pearls, beads, crystal jewelry, gold or silver adornments. It is understood that the back side of decorative attachments 30 may have any counter securing mechanism such as snaps 22, hooks 24, zippers 26, or hook and loop attachments 28 that correspond to such attachment elements maintained on the strap of bra 10 as explained above.

In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 8, a bra 100 has a cup portion 102 and a back strap 106. This is similar to the bra arrangement shown above in FIGS. 6C and 6D, but using snaps 122 only instead of other forms of attachment elements such as those outlined above in the prior embodiments. In this arrangement shown in FIG. 8, the clasp 120 is in the middle of back strap 106. As with FIG. 1 and bra 10, this bra 100 may be constructed of any normal materials and fabrics ordinarily used for bras.

As shown in FIG. 8, bra 100 has attachment elements in the form of snaps 122 located on the side of the bra just outside of cup portion 102 near where cup portion 102 connects with back strap 106.

Snaps 122 can be arranged in two sets of two vertically aligned snaps. Bra 100, as with most bras, can have three (3) different hook/clasp 120 positions to connect back strap 106. Snaps 122 are placed so that the decorative attachments 130 can be connected to accommodate each bra clasp position (e.g. the measurement from the tightest clasp hooks to the loosest clasp hooks is usually about 1½ inches).

In one embodiment, snaps 122 are one inch apart to accommodate the different hook positions. In one arrangement bra 100 original sample is a size 34 bra and may be adjusted to appropriately accommodate other bra sizes, such as 32, 34 36, 38, 40 and larger. Most backless bras have 3 clasp/hooks and are 1½ wide in the middle. Decorative arrangement 130 may be at least 2½ inches wide in the middle to completely cover back strap 106 of bra 100. Bras are narrowest in the middle of the back strap and then increase in width gradually until the band meets the cup. This is required for the bra to stay on properly. The sizing requirements of snaps 122 and decorative attachment 130 may differ and increase as the width of the bra size increases.

Bra 100 can accommodate different sized decorative attachments 130 using the two different vertically aligned sets of snaps 122. As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B a decorative attachment 130 can be attached to cover back strap 106 by connecting to snaps 122. It is understood that decorative attachment 130, like decorative attachment 30, can have many different forms, using different fabrics, different colors, different textures and different designs. FIGS. 10A-10C show additional options for decorative attachments 130.

FIGS. 11A-11C show decorative attachment 130 having two different fabrics. A middle section or decorative area 140 of decorative attachment 130 may be made from a non-stretch fabric of any material with or without embellishments (FIGS. 11A-11B). However, the primary material of decorative attachment 130 (FIG. 11B (ends)-FIG. 11C) can be made of a stretch material to accommodate the different snap positions.

FIGS. 10A-10C and FIG. 11A-11C show decorative attachments using snaps 122 to attach to snaps 22 and backstrap 16. However, it is understood that each of decorative attachments 130 in FIGS. 10A-10C and FIG. 11A-11C, may have corresponding hook and loop fabric, zippers, buttons, latches etc . . . , in order to connect with hooks 24, zipper 26, hook and loop fabric elements 28.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, another object of the invention is to provide a sleeve 300 for covering a wrist, for example in the event of cast (broken wrist) but it is understood that such sleeve 300 can be worn for purely decorative purposes. Sleeve 300 has a zipper 302 and attachment elements 304 such as snaps (shown) or hook and loop fabric (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 12H the back of a decorative element 310 is provided with corresponding fasteners 312 (snaps shown). The remaining FIGS. 12C-12G show decorative element 310 attached to sleeve 300. As with the embodiments above, this allows a wearer to cover an otherwise exposed portion of their body, possibly with an unsightly cast, to be covered with removable and replaceable decorations using different decorative elements 310.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, another object of the invention is to provide a sleeve 400 for covering a boot, for example in the event of cast (broken ankle) but it is understood that such sleeve 400 can be worn for purely decorative purposes. Sleeve 400 has a zipper 402 and attachment elements 404 such as hook and loop fabric and/or snaps. As shown in FIG. 13C the back of a decorative element 410 is provided with corresponding fasteners 412 (hook and loop shown).

FIGS. 13D, 13E, and 13F, another version of sleeve 400 for covering a boot/cast is shown. Again sleeve 400 has a zipper 402 and attachment elements 404 such as hook and loop fabric and/or snaps. As shown in FIG. 13G the back of a decorative element 410 is provided with corresponding fasteners 412 (hook and loop shown). As with the embodiments above, this allows a wearer to cover an otherwise exposed portion of their body, possibly with an unsightly cast on their ankle, to be covered with removable and replaceable decorations using different decorative elements 410.

While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bra arrangement comprising: a bra, said bra having a cup area; a backstrap, said bra further comprising connection elements on said back strap; and a decorative attachment, said decorative attachment having connection points, configured to attached to corresponding said connection elements on said backstrap of said bra.
 2. The bra arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said connection element on said backstrap and connection point on said decorative attachment is selected from the group consisting of snaps, a zipper, hook and loop fabric and latches.
 3. The bra arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises a secondary attachment element that supports said connection elements when said secondary attachment element is connected to said backstrap. 